BUSH DIARY: December 1990:
I have been reviewing volume One of Seven binders that I wrote over the nine years I lived in Barrow, Alaska. Brace yerselves, it ain't purty.
I originally did not write how I came to be working in Barrow, Alaska. The then director of the medical record department had been my professor at BSU when I was enrolled in the Health Sciences program to become a registered technician, a two year degree. She had been working there for a few years and had permission to recruit out of state to fill a position within the department. She called me and asked me if I wanted to move to Alaska. I gulped and replied that I knew people could make a living but was it worth it? Yep, twice my current salary. Sign me up!
I wrote the following on 12-06-1990
A more memorable portion of the flight involved the stewardesses handing out Haagen-Dazs ice cream bars after we took off from Fairbanks where it was 45 degrees below zero.
The landing in Barrow was beautiful. The full moon reflected off of the frozen ocean. I was a brisk and cheery 25 below zero. My new supervisor kindly met me and whisked to one of the local hotels for the evening. Slept like a log even with the two hour time difference. I'm on Alaska time up here.
Barrow has three hotels, several taxi services and a sterling little bus service. The buses run every 20 minutes and costs one 30 cent token. I take one bus, transfer to another bus that goes to Browerville where my 12-plex is located. Beats walking.
Water is rationed here. A load of wash costs one two dollar token. A single occupant is entitled to ten tokens per month. A person gets used to rinsing out a few dainties. Everywhere you go you see an amazing variety of efficiency toilets, all of whom are not truly odor free. So a certain pungency lingers. And there is a saying in Barrow, "If it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down". Yeppers.
The eight boxes that I air freighted from Emmett arrived in fair condition with only a few gouges. Only one thing broke a small Christmas ornament. My hunk of lawn came through ok. I had dug up a spade full of lawn from my place in Emmett and packed it in the largest Tupperware bowl I had. The grow light is encouraging the greenery and I sprinkled some Sweet Allysum seed about the edges. Garsh, the farming life for me!
Only three businesses remain open during noon hour; post office, bank and grocery stores. (I had not discovered the dozen or so restaurants yet). You can get a nice enchilada dinner at Pepe's for fifteen dollars and a two dollar taco.
The first trip to the grocery store was enlightening financially, a small ham costs 14 dollars, a loaf of bread was 3 dollars and a pint of Mayo was 3 bucks. Samwiches!!!
While, I did miss the official sundown on November 18, 1989, it is not as dark as the inside of old Bossy the cow. About 10 am the southern horizon lightens to a beautiful blue twilight and then gently fades about 2 pm. I haven't seen any Northern Lights yet. They are a product of solar winds, the magnetic pole and whims of nature. I'll let you know when I see them.
I have observed an interesting social nicety which is practiced in the post office. Everyone must have a PO box because they don't deliver. The foyer where the mail boxes are located is pretty good sized. The actual business counter is inside a set of double doors where there are two spaces to pick up mail. Everyone waits patiently in the lobby while each patron goes before the counter. Very polite and orderly. If a tourist or newbie barges right past everyone they quickly get sent back to the lobby looking a bit dismayed. Just a little culture shock.
I have noticed that the native parkas are beautiful. Most of the outer covers for the ladies are velvet and the insides are lined with sheepskin. Very warm. I have been told that the best way to "test" the fit and feel of a parka is to wear it naked and check for any irritating seams.
My job is going well. Working for the Public Heath Service involves forms and data collection that is no usually found in the private sector. But I am starting to get the hang of things. They will have me answering phones before I know what hit me.
The people who work here are all very nice. All of the doctors are on a first name basis. ALL of them.
The Television Cable company is recognizable; all the usual channels and then some. For some reason our network feed is out of Detroit. Viewing is pretty much potluck and prime time is over by 8 pm.
I have learned already that "Going to town" means flying to Anchorage.
That's it so far.
I have been reviewing volume One of Seven binders that I wrote over the nine years I lived in Barrow, Alaska. Brace yerselves, it ain't purty.
I originally did not write how I came to be working in Barrow, Alaska. The then director of the medical record department had been my professor at BSU when I was enrolled in the Health Sciences program to become a registered technician, a two year degree. She had been working there for a few years and had permission to recruit out of state to fill a position within the department. She called me and asked me if I wanted to move to Alaska. I gulped and replied that I knew people could make a living but was it worth it? Yep, twice my current salary. Sign me up!
I wrote the following on 12-06-1990
A more memorable portion of the flight involved the stewardesses handing out Haagen-Dazs ice cream bars after we took off from Fairbanks where it was 45 degrees below zero.
The landing in Barrow was beautiful. The full moon reflected off of the frozen ocean. I was a brisk and cheery 25 below zero. My new supervisor kindly met me and whisked to one of the local hotels for the evening. Slept like a log even with the two hour time difference. I'm on Alaska time up here.
Barrow has three hotels, several taxi services and a sterling little bus service. The buses run every 20 minutes and costs one 30 cent token. I take one bus, transfer to another bus that goes to Browerville where my 12-plex is located. Beats walking.
Water is rationed here. A load of wash costs one two dollar token. A single occupant is entitled to ten tokens per month. A person gets used to rinsing out a few dainties. Everywhere you go you see an amazing variety of efficiency toilets, all of whom are not truly odor free. So a certain pungency lingers. And there is a saying in Barrow, "If it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down". Yeppers.
The eight boxes that I air freighted from Emmett arrived in fair condition with only a few gouges. Only one thing broke a small Christmas ornament. My hunk of lawn came through ok. I had dug up a spade full of lawn from my place in Emmett and packed it in the largest Tupperware bowl I had. The grow light is encouraging the greenery and I sprinkled some Sweet Allysum seed about the edges. Garsh, the farming life for me!
Only three businesses remain open during noon hour; post office, bank and grocery stores. (I had not discovered the dozen or so restaurants yet). You can get a nice enchilada dinner at Pepe's for fifteen dollars and a two dollar taco.
The first trip to the grocery store was enlightening financially, a small ham costs 14 dollars, a loaf of bread was 3 dollars and a pint of Mayo was 3 bucks. Samwiches!!!
While, I did miss the official sundown on November 18, 1989, it is not as dark as the inside of old Bossy the cow. About 10 am the southern horizon lightens to a beautiful blue twilight and then gently fades about 2 pm. I haven't seen any Northern Lights yet. They are a product of solar winds, the magnetic pole and whims of nature. I'll let you know when I see them.
I have observed an interesting social nicety which is practiced in the post office. Everyone must have a PO box because they don't deliver. The foyer where the mail boxes are located is pretty good sized. The actual business counter is inside a set of double doors where there are two spaces to pick up mail. Everyone waits patiently in the lobby while each patron goes before the counter. Very polite and orderly. If a tourist or newbie barges right past everyone they quickly get sent back to the lobby looking a bit dismayed. Just a little culture shock.
I have noticed that the native parkas are beautiful. Most of the outer covers for the ladies are velvet and the insides are lined with sheepskin. Very warm. I have been told that the best way to "test" the fit and feel of a parka is to wear it naked and check for any irritating seams.
My job is going well. Working for the Public Heath Service involves forms and data collection that is no usually found in the private sector. But I am starting to get the hang of things. They will have me answering phones before I know what hit me.
The people who work here are all very nice. All of the doctors are on a first name basis. ALL of them.
The Television Cable company is recognizable; all the usual channels and then some. For some reason our network feed is out of Detroit. Viewing is pretty much potluck and prime time is over by 8 pm.
I have learned already that "Going to town" means flying to Anchorage.
That's it so far.
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